Episode 110. Just Anybody Can Be A Successor
Beads of sweat formed on Rose's forehead as she was met with a sharp gaze.
"Hohohoho, as expected... You should be dating."
Rose felt a certain eeriness toward Rivera, who smiled kindly.
Rivera thought there was absolutely nothing wrong with a grown woman meeting someone she liked.
She was in the prime of her life, so she was okay with dating. Just as Daemon had said, the Grand Duke would be better than Eric, who was half a dog.
But Rose was somehow annoyed that she was telling such an obvious lie.
Rivera glared at Rose, then quickly turned her head and smiled brightly at the Grand Duke.
"When did you get to be like this? I never expected that. Hohoho."
She whined, hitting Rose's back hard.
A cheerful laugh accompanied Rose's back, and a slapping sound came from it.
'Ugh, you must be angry.'
Rose, hit by a back smash, glanced at Rivera for no reason.
"What! Pregnant!!"
Rose's voice was completely drowned out by Daemon's.
Daemon, who had jumped to his feet, was trembling and clenching his fists. His murderous gaze was fixed on the Grand Duke. He looked as if he would strike him down at any moment.
"Oh, Mother! Pregnant? What do you mean?"
“I'm just surprised when the Grand Duke suddenly tells us you're getting married. Be honest with me. Don’t even think about lying like before.”
“Pregnancy? That’s ridiculous!”
Rose tried to sort things out, but the atmosphere didn’t improve at all.
Daemon gritted his teeth, his voice emitting a murderous smirk.
“Let’s go outside for a moment and talk, Your Highness, the Grand Duke of Artaeum.”
His low, rumbling voice resonated chillingly. With those words, Daemon took his last steps. The Grand Duke followed Daemon, oblivious to what had gone wrong.
After Daemon and the Grand Duke left, Rose and Rivera were the only two people left in the mansion.
Rivera grabbed Rose’s shoulder and pressed her.
“Be honest with me. Are you really pregnant?”
“Mother, what’s with all this pregnancy all of a sudden! It’s not like it’s easy to have a baby.”
“One day... does that mean you started dating yesterday?”
“Yes. That’s right.”
Rose thought that saying this would calm Rivera down, but it was completely wrong.
“So you did it safely?”
...Mother?
Rose was embarrassed by Rivera's assumption that she would do it.
Her mother asked this even though she only started dating yesterday.
‘...Of course, I have nothing to say because we did it right after we started dating.’
Expressing his feelings was a very embarrassing thing for the Grand Duke of Artaeum. It was difficult to do it to the person himself, but it was even more awkward to do it to his future father-in-law.
“I asked if you liked her.”
The Grand Duke tried to brush it off, but Daemon persisted. Unable to resist Daemon’s gaze, the Grand Duke of Artaeum replied,
“I like her. So much so that I want to spend the future with her.”
He scratched his cheek, as if embarrassed.
Perhaps he sensed sincerity in the Grand Duke of Artaeum's gaze. Daemon looked at the Grand Duke without saying a word.
He gazed at the Grand Duke with a complicated gaze for a long moment, then quietly extended his hand.
"Please take good care of my daughter."
The Grand Duke took Daemon's hand. And at the same time, his expression contorted.
He felt a crunching sound from the back of his hand, along with an incredible grip. It was so strong it felt like it could break his own hand.
"However, until you get married, please cherish my daughter. Don't touch a single hair on her."
Although their relationship was already serious, it was better to remain silent in front of Daemon, who was so obsessed with his daughter.
He nodded awkwardly.
Returning to the mansion, Doana huffed and puffed out her anger.
"How... How could you say something like that!!"
Rose's words lingered in her mind.
"He asked me to raise the child you gave birth to. Did you know that? Your lover, guard him well. Don't let him say things like that to me.'
She had tried to piss off Rose, whom she had met by chance. But instead of teasing her, she came back as the one who got hurt the most.
Doana's chest tightened with frustration.
She had to meet Eric right away and ask him if what Rose said was true, or if he was just teasing her.
Doana took a brisk step forward.
"Hey, where's the Count?"
“I heard she was getting ready to go somewhere urgently.”
“What? When?”
“He probably hasn’t left yet.”
Before the servant could finish speaking, Doana took a swift step forward.
A carriage was waiting outside the main gate. It was undoubtedly Eric’s.
Doana looked around the carriage anxiously. Sure enough, he was preparing to leave, about to board.
“Count!”
Doana ran to the carriage and grabbed Eric’s wrist.
“Where are you going this late at night?”
“The night is cold. Why are you out like that? What if something happens to the baby?”
He glanced at Doana with a pitiful look. Doana furrowed her eyebrows at the mention of the baby.
“I was going to tell you about the baby in my womb. I met Rose earlier, and she said something ridiculous.”
“What? Rose? Where did you meet her? Is she still in the capital?”
When Rose's story came up, Eric urgently grabbed Doana's shoulder. His behavior only irritated Doana even more.
"You told her to raise my child. Is that true?"
"Does that matter right now? I'm asking where Rose is right now."
Doana was taken aback by Eric's actions.
"It doesn't matter. How could it not matter?! It's my child. I carried it for ten months and gave birth to it with my own painful stomach! How could you suddenly tell Rose to raise it?"
Doana raised her voice and argued with Eric.
"Ha, it's so frustrating. Don't you realize it's all for our child?"
"Why would it be for our child? A child should grow up with their mother. I'm alive and well, so why are you asking another woman to raise the child?"
Doana, who had been fuming, closed her eyes and looked at Eric.
“I don’t want that woman to return to this mansion. Even if she comes as my nanny, I can never entrust my child to that vixen Rose.”
Eric stared blankly at Doana. He frowned and slowly began to speak.
“You... didn’t you want that child to be my successor?”
“Of course, my child is the successor to this Count’s family! He’s the Count’s only bloodline!”
Eric let out a low sigh at Doana’s answer.
“That’s why I did it for our child.”
Eric’s words only confused Doana.
“You don’t know, do you?”
Doana flinched at Eric’s voice. She had a bad feeling about this.
“Your child can’t be my successor.”
“...W-what?”
Doana’s eyes trembled helplessly at Eric’s unexpected words.
Beads of sweat formed on Rose's forehead as she was met with a sharp gaze.
"Hohohoho, as expected... You should be dating."
Rose felt a certain eeriness toward Rivera, who smiled kindly.
Rivera thought there was absolutely nothing wrong with a grown woman meeting someone she liked.
She was in the prime of her life, so she was okay with dating. Just as Daemon had said, the Grand Duke would be better than Eric, who was half a dog.
But Rose was somehow annoyed that she was telling such an obvious lie.
Rivera glared at Rose, then quickly turned her head and smiled brightly at the Grand Duke.
"When did you get to be like this? I never expected that. Hohoho."
She whined, hitting Rose's back hard.
A cheerful laugh accompanied Rose's back, and a slapping sound came from it.
'Ugh, you must be angry.'
Rose, hit by a back smash, glanced at Rivera for no reason.
"I was planning to come see you soon to ask for your permission to marry."
The Grand Duke poured gasoline on an already burning fire.
"Marriage?"
Rivera and Daemon asked simultaneously. The gazes they were looking at Rose seemed unusual for some reason.
Rivera looked back and forth between Rose and the Grand Dukeand asked in a trembling voice.
"Rose... Are you pregnant?"
"Yes?"
The Grand Duke poured gasoline on an already burning fire.
"Marriage?"
Rivera and Daemon asked simultaneously. The gazes they were looking at Rose seemed unusual for some reason.
Rivera looked back and forth between Rose and the Grand Dukeand asked in a trembling voice.
"Rose... Are you pregnant?"
"Yes?"
"What! Pregnant!!"
Rose's voice was completely drowned out by Daemon's.
Daemon, who had jumped to his feet, was trembling and clenching his fists. His murderous gaze was fixed on the Grand Duke. He looked as if he would strike him down at any moment.
"Oh, Mother! Pregnant? What do you mean?"
“I'm just surprised when the Grand Duke suddenly tells us you're getting married. Be honest with me. Don’t even think about lying like before.”
“Pregnancy? That’s ridiculous!”
Rose tried to sort things out, but the atmosphere didn’t improve at all.
Daemon gritted his teeth, his voice emitting a murderous smirk.
“Let’s go outside for a moment and talk, Your Highness, the Grand Duke of Artaeum.”
His low, rumbling voice resonated chillingly. With those words, Daemon took his last steps. The Grand Duke followed Daemon, oblivious to what had gone wrong.
After Daemon and the Grand Duke left, Rose and Rivera were the only two people left in the mansion.
Rivera grabbed Rose’s shoulder and pressed her.
“Be honest with me. Are you really pregnant?”
“Mother, what’s with all this pregnancy all of a sudden! It’s not like it’s easy to have a baby.”
“Oh my, look at this girl! Don’t you even know that women are fertile 365 days a year?! Don’t you know how scary the world is?”
“Calm down and listen to me. His Highness and I have only been together for one day.”
“Calm down and listen to me. His Highness and I have only been together for one day.”
“One day... does that mean you started dating yesterday?”
“Yes. That’s right.”
Rose thought that saying this would calm Rivera down, but it was completely wrong.
“So you did it safely?”
...Mother?
Rose was embarrassed by Rivera's assumption that she would do it.
Her mother asked this even though she only started dating yesterday.
‘...Of course, I have nothing to say because we did it right after we started dating.’
After all, they had taken medication for each other, they were safe. Rose tried to hide her embarrassment and changed the subject.
“Ah, we’re not like that yet. Like His Highness said earlier, we’re just getting to know each other. How can you ask such a question when we only started dating yesterday?”
Rose tried to hide her flushed face. Rivera stared at Rose with an anxious expression.
“Do you think Mom doesn’t know? I went through it myself when I was your age. When we started dating, what’s the big deal? Rose, you were born the day I first met your father...”
Rivera, who had been rambling on, cleared her throat, perhaps realizing she’d stumbled onto something pointless.
“Hmm, hmm.”
It was a birth anecdote that didn’t need to be told to her daughter, who was in passionate love.
“The Serviats had quite a passionate youth.”
“Ah, we’re not like that yet. Like His Highness said earlier, we’re just getting to know each other. How can you ask such a question when we only started dating yesterday?”
Rose tried to hide her flushed face. Rivera stared at Rose with an anxious expression.
“Do you think Mom doesn’t know? I went through it myself when I was your age. When we started dating, what’s the big deal? Rose, you were born the day I first met your father...”
Rivera, who had been rambling on, cleared her throat, perhaps realizing she’d stumbled onto something pointless.
“Hmm, hmm.”
It was a birth anecdote that didn’t need to be told to her daughter, who was in passionate love.
“The Serviats had quite a passionate youth.”
She hadn’t expected to hear Rose’s birth story like this. She seemed worried that Rose might, having experienced it herself, might as well.
“I guess it was my own experience that gave you advice on how difficult an unwanted pregnancy can be.”
She gave her such detailed advice. It was clear that she hoped her daughter wouldn’t have to go through the same thing.
Rivera cleared her voice and continued.
“Anyway, love requires safety nets. Mom wants Rose to have a child when you're fully prepared.”
Rose wasn't a child. That's why she completely understood Rivera's feelings.
She smiled as if to tell her not to worry and calmly replied,
"I'm not a child anymore. So you don't have to worry at all."
Some might feel like she was interfering excessively with her private life.
But Rose felt that this kind of education was necessary at least once. This wasn't something to be hushed up and hidden.
Rivera's expression softened slightly at Rose's firm answer.
"Yes, honey. I think I treated you too childishly."
She felt a pang of guilt, feeling like she had pressured Rose, who had already become an adult.
"I think I got ahead of myself. Rose has changed a lot, too... but you still seem too childish to me, and that's the problem."
She slowly took a breath and met Rose's eyes.
"And... just in case there's any misunderstanding,"
Rivera began cautiously.
"I've never once regretted having you."
“I guess it was my own experience that gave you advice on how difficult an unwanted pregnancy can be.”
She gave her such detailed advice. It was clear that she hoped her daughter wouldn’t have to go through the same thing.
Rivera cleared her voice and continued.
“Anyway, love requires safety nets. Mom wants Rose to have a child when you're fully prepared.”
Rose wasn't a child. That's why she completely understood Rivera's feelings.
She smiled as if to tell her not to worry and calmly replied,
"I'm not a child anymore. So you don't have to worry at all."
Some might feel like she was interfering excessively with her private life.
But Rose felt that this kind of education was necessary at least once. This wasn't something to be hushed up and hidden.
Rivera's expression softened slightly at Rose's firm answer.
"Yes, honey. I think I treated you too childishly."
She felt a pang of guilt, feeling like she had pressured Rose, who had already become an adult.
"I think I got ahead of myself. Rose has changed a lot, too... but you still seem too childish to me, and that's the problem."
She slowly took a breath and met Rose's eyes.
"And... just in case there's any misunderstanding,"
Rivera began cautiously.
"I've never once regretted having you."
Her clear, unwavering eyes were fixed on Rose.
“You are the blessing of my life, my greatest treasure, Rose.”
Rivera gently pulled Rose’s shoulder. Then she gently patted her back.
Although the pregnancy was unexpected, every day after giving birth to Rose was happy.
She was a precious treasure, irreplaceable.
Rivera warmly embraced Rose, wishing only happiness for her future life.
The Grand Duke and Daemon leaned against the outer wall of the mansion, facing the same direction.
Daemon called the Grand Duke of Artaeum, but remained silent for a long time.
He hoped the Grand Duke and Daemon would connect. He had secretly hoped that the good-natured Grand Duke of Artaeum, rather than the misbehaving Eric, would meet his daughter.
However, hearing that the two were actually meeting, his heart was filled with excitement.
“Since when have you known my daughter?”
Daemon broke the silence.
“Not long ago.”
“But, you’re already thinking about marriage... It’s not what I think, is it?”
Daemon glared at the Grand Duke with a sharp gaze. He tried to suppress every ounce of anxiety he felt.
The Grand Duke immediately denied his answer.
“You have nothing to worry about. We’ve only been officially dating for a day.”
“Since yesterday...”
Daemon trailed off and sighed deeply. He felt relieved, knowing it wasn’t what he’d been worried about.
But that was only for a moment, as he glared fiercely at the Grand Duke.
“Do you like my daughter?”
“Why would you ask such a thing?”
Of course, he does, so he’ll meet her.
“You are the blessing of my life, my greatest treasure, Rose.”
Rivera gently pulled Rose’s shoulder. Then she gently patted her back.
Although the pregnancy was unexpected, every day after giving birth to Rose was happy.
She was a precious treasure, irreplaceable.
Rivera warmly embraced Rose, wishing only happiness for her future life.
***
The Grand Duke and Daemon leaned against the outer wall of the mansion, facing the same direction.
Daemon called the Grand Duke of Artaeum, but remained silent for a long time.
He hoped the Grand Duke and Daemon would connect. He had secretly hoped that the good-natured Grand Duke of Artaeum, rather than the misbehaving Eric, would meet his daughter.
However, hearing that the two were actually meeting, his heart was filled with excitement.
“Since when have you known my daughter?”
Daemon broke the silence.
“Not long ago.”
“But, you’re already thinking about marriage... It’s not what I think, is it?”
Daemon glared at the Grand Duke with a sharp gaze. He tried to suppress every ounce of anxiety he felt.
The Grand Duke immediately denied his answer.
“You have nothing to worry about. We’ve only been officially dating for a day.”
“Since yesterday...”
Daemon trailed off and sighed deeply. He felt relieved, knowing it wasn’t what he’d been worried about.
But that was only for a moment, as he glared fiercely at the Grand Duke.
“Do you like my daughter?”
“Why would you ask such a thing?”
Of course, he does, so he’ll meet her.
Expressing his feelings was a very embarrassing thing for the Grand Duke of Artaeum. It was difficult to do it to the person himself, but it was even more awkward to do it to his future father-in-law.
“I asked if you liked her.”
The Grand Duke tried to brush it off, but Daemon persisted. Unable to resist Daemon’s gaze, the Grand Duke of Artaeum replied,
“I like her. So much so that I want to spend the future with her.”
He scratched his cheek, as if embarrassed.
Perhaps he sensed sincerity in the Grand Duke of Artaeum's gaze. Daemon looked at the Grand Duke without saying a word.
He gazed at the Grand Duke with a complicated gaze for a long moment, then quietly extended his hand.
"Please take good care of my daughter."
The Grand Duke took Daemon's hand. And at the same time, his expression contorted.
He felt a crunching sound from the back of his hand, along with an incredible grip. It was so strong it felt like it could break his own hand.
"However, until you get married, please cherish my daughter. Don't touch a single hair on her."
Although their relationship was already serious, it was better to remain silent in front of Daemon, who was so obsessed with his daughter.
He nodded awkwardly.
***
Returning to the mansion, Doana huffed and puffed out her anger.
"How... How could you say something like that!!"
Rose's words lingered in her mind.
"He asked me to raise the child you gave birth to. Did you know that? Your lover, guard him well. Don't let him say things like that to me.'
She had tried to piss off Rose, whom she had met by chance. But instead of teasing her, she came back as the one who got hurt the most.
Doana's chest tightened with frustration.
She had to meet Eric right away and ask him if what Rose said was true, or if he was just teasing her.
Doana took a brisk step forward.
"Hey, where's the Count?"
“I heard she was getting ready to go somewhere urgently.”
“What? When?”
“He probably hasn’t left yet.”
Before the servant could finish speaking, Doana took a swift step forward.
A carriage was waiting outside the main gate. It was undoubtedly Eric’s.
Doana looked around the carriage anxiously. Sure enough, he was preparing to leave, about to board.
“Count!”
Doana ran to the carriage and grabbed Eric’s wrist.
“Where are you going this late at night?”
“The night is cold. Why are you out like that? What if something happens to the baby?”
He glanced at Doana with a pitiful look. Doana furrowed her eyebrows at the mention of the baby.
“I was going to tell you about the baby in my womb. I met Rose earlier, and she said something ridiculous.”
“What? Rose? Where did you meet her? Is she still in the capital?”
When Rose's story came up, Eric urgently grabbed Doana's shoulder. His behavior only irritated Doana even more.
"You told her to raise my child. Is that true?"
"Does that matter right now? I'm asking where Rose is right now."
Doana was taken aback by Eric's actions.
"It doesn't matter. How could it not matter?! It's my child. I carried it for ten months and gave birth to it with my own painful stomach! How could you suddenly tell Rose to raise it?"
Doana raised her voice and argued with Eric.
"Ha, it's so frustrating. Don't you realize it's all for our child?"
"Why would it be for our child? A child should grow up with their mother. I'm alive and well, so why are you asking another woman to raise the child?"
Doana, who had been fuming, closed her eyes and looked at Eric.
“I don’t want that woman to return to this mansion. Even if she comes as my nanny, I can never entrust my child to that vixen Rose.”
Eric stared blankly at Doana. He frowned and slowly began to speak.
“You... didn’t you want that child to be my successor?”
“Of course, my child is the successor to this Count’s family! He’s the Count’s only bloodline!”
Eric let out a low sigh at Doana’s answer.
“That’s why I did it for our child.”
Eric’s words only confused Doana.
“You don’t know, do you?”
Doana flinched at Eric’s voice. She had a bad feeling about this.
“Your child can’t be my successor.”
“...W-what?”
Doana’s eyes trembled helplessly at Eric’s unexpected words.
“The child of the government can’t be my successor.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Doana's heart plummeted.
As soon as he finished speaking, Doana's heart plummeted.
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